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The term "optimization" is often a misnomer when applied to transportation-management systems that can create unrealistic expectations, writes Mitch Weseley, CEO of 3Gtms. These systems actually use a heuristic approach that attempts to identify a good strategy under a certain set of constraints. "What separates one TMS from another is in the way it manages and works with these constraints -- within the algorithms embedded in the TMS," he writes.

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Vendors of transportation-management systems have too long focused on adding features without recognizing the importance of simplicity, writes J.P. Wiggins, vice president of logistics at 3Gtms. In many cases, the unnecessary complexity of these systems means that companies are unable to use them effectively. "Yes, cost savings and automation are possible, but only for companies that can afford and retain the right resources," he writes.

Transportation-management systems can deliver significant cost savings but only if they are able to deal with rapidly changing data sets, writes Mitch Weseley, CEO of 3Gtms. "It's clear that a TMS should not simply send a lot of data to an external algorithm a few times a day and expect to create much value for the customer," he writes.

Having limited funding for your startup may not seem like a good thing, but constraints -- financial or otherwise -- can be a blessing in disguise, writes Whitney Johnson, co-founder of Rose Park Advisors. Constraints can help entrepreneurs to gather feedback quickly and focus their innovation efforts, she notes. "Whether they are limits on space, time, money or other resources, constraints can improve our agility and get our synapses firing at lightning speed," she writes.